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AWS (Amazon Web Services)

AWS is a cloud computing platform that provides on-demand infrastructure, platforms, and services over the internet.

What is AWS?

Amazon Web Services is a public cloud platform offering a broad set of on-demand IT services, including computing power, storage, networking, databases, security, and analytics. Resources are provisioned via APIs and billed on a pay-as-you-go model.

AWS is used by startups, enterprises, and public-sector organizations worldwide.

Why AWS matters

AWS is significant because it:

  • Eliminates the need for upfront infrastructure investment
  • Scales globally within minutes
  • Enables rapid innovation and experimentation
  • Supports modern architectures (cloud-native, serverless)
  • Integrates deeply with automation and DevOps practices

It has been a major driver of cloud adoption.

Core AWS service categories

AWS services are commonly grouped into:

  • Compute -- virtual machines, containers, serverless
  • Storage -- object, block, and file storage
  • Networking -- virtual networks, load balancing, connectivity
  • Databases -- managed SQL and NoSQL engines
  • Security & Identity -- access control, encryption, monitoring
  • Analytics & AI -- data processing, ML services

Organizations typically consume only a subset aligned to their needs.

AWS service models

AWS supports multiple cloud service models:

  • IaaS -- infrastructure building blocks (VMs, networks)
  • PaaS -- managed platforms and runtimes
  • Serverless -- event-driven execution without server management

This flexibility allows incremental cloud adoption.

AWS and DevOps

AWS is tightly aligned with DevOps practices:

  • API-driven infrastructure
  • Native support for CI/CD pipelines
  • Infrastructure as Code (IaC) workflows
  • Blue/green and canary deployments
  • Monitoring and observability at scale

Automation is a core design principle of AWS.

AWS and Infrastructure as Code

AWS environments are commonly managed using IaC:

  • Reproducible and versioned infrastructure
  • Automated provisioning and teardown
  • Reduced configuration drift
  • Easier auditing and compliance

IaC is considered best practice for AWS operations.

AWS security model

AWS operates under a shared responsibility model:

  • AWS secures the underlying cloud infrastructure
  • Customers secure configurations, data, access, and workloads

Security requires correct identity management, network design, and monitoring.

AWS use cases

Common AWS use cases include:

  • Web and application hosting
  • Data storage and backup
  • Disaster recovery
  • Development and testing environments
  • Big data and analytics
  • SaaS platforms and APIs

AWS supports both legacy workloads and cloud-native systems.

AWS advantages

Key benefits include:

  • Global infrastructure footprint
  • High availability and resilience
  • Broad service portfolio
  • Mature ecosystem and tooling
  • Strong automation capabilities

AWS limitations

Considerations and challenges:

  • Cost management complexity
  • Steep learning curve
  • Risk of misconfiguration
  • Vendor lock-in concerns
  • Governance and compliance overhead

Effective cloud management requires skills and discipline.

Common misconceptions

  • "AWS is just virtual machines"
  • "AWS is automatically secure"
  • "AWS is always cheaper than on-prem"
  • "Using AWS removes operational responsibility"